Demon Hunters: What We Know

Demon Hunters are a new hero class, playable in 7.0 World of Warcraft: Legion. This guide covers the initial pre-beta information we know about this new class.

Dominate your foes as a Demon Hunter, an elven outcast shunned for daring to wield the terrible powers of the Legion. Exhibiting superior mobility and a preternatural sense of awareness, Demon Hunters can tap into forbidden powers at times of dire need, metamorphosing into terrifying fel forms. Focus on Havoc to demolish any who stand in your way with fiery demonic attacks, or specialize in Vengeance and go toe to toe with even the most powerful demons, withstanding massive punishment as their attacks fuel your hatred.

Quick Facts

Forgoing heavy armor, Demon Hunters capitalize on speed, closing the distance quickly to sever enemies with one-handed weapons. However, Illidari must also use their agility defensively to ensure that battles end favorably.

Weapon: Glaive weapon pair for both slots. Some of the weapons shown in the slides are actual Artifact models.

Several interviews asked about the limited races--Blizzard says that it fits the fantasy of the class, based on past demon hunter lore, to limit the options to night elves and blood elves.

As for the concern that four classes wear leather, while two classes wear mail, in gameplay terms, it's not a huge issue as in group content (Raid Finder, etc), people use personal loot. In a group loot case, it's used by a raid playing together and it's mostly about set pieces which aren't shared by all leather users, so only really bracers, belt, boots are left. From a fantasy standpoint, it feels right for leather too. In addition, Blizzard revealed that there are upcoming itemization/loot changes in Legion.

Demon Hunters only have 2 specs, but most other classes have 3, with multiple DPS specs. The development team sees this as a positive--and if they could go back in time, older classes might have fewer DPS specs. Legion is all about class fantasy, and some classes struggle to have three unique specs. They could make a ranged Demon Hunter spec and it would feel different--but it wouldn't feel like a Demon Hunter, such as Illidan. They could also make an alternate DPS spec feel like a Demon Hunter, but only marginally different from the existing spec. So they decided not to split DPS specs up and just pour all cool ideas into one spec.

Customization

Character creation allows players to customize horns, tattoos, skin variations including demonic scales, and different types of eyewear.

Class-specific Demon Hunter armor exposes muscles and tattoos.

Metamorphosis form adds hellish wings and changes your appearance, including hooves for feet.

New skin tones, hairstyles, and facial scars were present on 3D models shown at gamescom.

In past World of Warcraft lore, night elves determined to fight the Burning Legion decided to infuse themselves with demonic essence and fight the Legion with its own evil. Their tattoos increase their magic power, and they are lightly-armored to enhance their agility. As demon hunters continue training, their physical appearance becomes more corrupted (horns, scars, claws)--which is present in some of the character customization options.

Demon Hunters are known to blind themselves in order bind themselves to a demonic essence, which then grants them a new type of vision, one in which everything is dulled except for demonic energy. The item Cursed Vision of Sargeras mimics this effect, including the +use effect to show demons on the minimap. The classic Illidan blindfold is a character customization option, but there are new creative headgear options like veils which have not been seen before on demon hunters.

Female Models

Male Models

Abilities

UNRIVALED MOBILITY: Demon Hunters can double jump, vault in and out of combat, and even unfold their monstrous wings to perform gliding descents and surprise enemies from above.

Eye Beam: Blast the target and any enemies near the target for 21,650 Fire damage over 3.71 sec.

Spectral Sight: Allows you to see enemies through physical barriers, as well as those stealthed and invisible. Defining trait.

Vengeful Retreat: Vault back and avoid the next attack or spell directed at you.

Double Jump: When one jump isn't enough - Demon Hunters get this because they're more agile than other classes.

Lore

Demon Hunters, as a Hero Class, get a unique starting experience--similar to Death Knights. They awaken in the Vault of the Wardens in order to combat the largest Legion invasion ever.

As part of the experience, there is an event Demon Hunters participate in which takes place 10 years earlier. As a member of the Illidari, Illidan sends his most elite demon hunters on a suicide mission to the shattered demonic prison world of Marduun. This is the world Sargeras created, as a good titan, to hold all the demons he captured--and when he turned corrupt, he shattered this world and released the Burning Legion.

The player then returns to the present-day and learns what it truly means to be a Demon Hunter--and the sacrifices it entails.

As for Illidan and Gul'dan--we're no longer in an alternate timeline, things are taking place in our regular timeline again. The Cinematic Teaser to bridge Warlords of Legion shows Gul'dan freeing Illidan from his prison in Vault of the Wardens.

Demon hunters have been part of previous expansions. If you want to brush up on your lore, check out these quests in game!

Comments

Comment by Xabidar

Only two specs feels kind of weird for a new class. Looks like a lot of fun to play. I'm not liking that it's limited to just elves, but lore-wise that makes sense.

Hoping we get tattoo, scar, and more hair options for other races.

Comment by Oathkeeper0317

on 2015-08-06T20:49:28-05:00

I noticed the unique way they run, that's interesting.

Comment by DanJack

on 2015-08-06T20:51:15-05:00

It seems like they did not want to do a range dps spec and healing spec, both make sense. I'm kind of ok with just two.

Comment by schnizol

on 2015-08-06T20:51:38-05:00

I already hate how OP this class feels from reading. Way-to-go for PvP...

Comment by Chertie

on 2015-08-06T21:04:14-05:00

Question is...with the new class...are they going to increase the number of character slots per realm? I hope so since I already have 11 100s, 1 of each class, on my main realm and don't want to delete any.

Comment by africanleopard

on 2015-08-06T21:05:38-05:00

ooo - I love my NE so looking forward to this class. Enjoy them in Diablo :). The new expansion looks good so far :D

Comment by my1if34wow

on 2015-08-06T21:12:10-05:00

I bet they wear Leather gear.

Comment by antiganon

on 2015-08-06T21:14:44-05:00

Question is...with the new class...are they going to increase the number of character slots per realm? I hope so since I already have 11 100s, 1 of each class, on my main realm and don't want to delete any.

If I recall correctly, through Cataclysm we only had 10 character slots per realm, expanded to 11 when Mists (and Monks) were released.

Presumably Blizz would follow this precedent.

Comment by Grimskunk

on 2015-08-06T21:15:25-05:00

lol I'm going to kite them to death or out heal them on my shammy. no way they are making that class op. not with all the bad feedback they got because of monks in MoP

Comment by Graspe

on 2015-08-06T21:19:23-05:00

What level do they start at? Dks are 55 and leave the starter zone near 60 while the cap was 80. So do DH start at 90 and stay in a starter zone for 10 levels or will they be 100 when you make one?And will they increase the current character cap of 11 to 12?

Comment by Aralnda

on 2015-08-06T21:28:42-05:00

sadly they d not have an achievement for having one of each class to lvl 100. i have 5 right now for the quintessential quintuplet. weird they don't have all class achievement

Comment by Blekks

on 2015-08-06T21:31:16-05:00

Of course demon hunter will be op,at the start at least. They are a hero class after all.Has everyone forgotten when dk first launched.

Comment by Rankkor

on 2015-08-06T21:43:39-05:00

The main couple of things I want to know about demon hunters are:

What level do they start at? I know they said that since they're a hero class they wont start at 1, but I'm curious to where do they start on the leveling range.

And secondly, assuming they don't start at 100, can we use the free character boost offered on them?

Thirdly, will they have the same limitation that DKs had for so long where we can only make 1 per realm? I hope not.

And lastly, If you create your character with one of those veils, wont that clash with some of the more face-obstructing helmets? how would the vision of sargeras helmet even work with that?

Comment by Valdoom

on 2015-08-06T21:44:12-05:00

Forgive my bias opinion, but as someone who has always been a demonology warlock, I kind of feel like I've been slapped in the face.

Comment by noobking87

on 2015-08-06T21:54:50-05:00

Well... I know what I'm making a night elf character for.

Comment by Itelletas

on 2015-08-06T22:03:49-05:00

Forgive my bias opinion, but as someone who has always been a demonology warlock, I kind of feel like I've been slapped in the face.

I already felt that way when they ripped out our Dark Apotheosis for "not wanting warlock tanks" (a smarmy excuse to begin with... why put it in the game in the first place then? What, did we like it too much?) and then gave the -literal inverse- to Warriors with Gladiator Stance.

This is just salt in the wound.

Comment by heartlessnobody

on 2015-08-06T22:06:51-05:00

With that sight ability sounds like a great rogue killer to me... No more sneaky sneaky

Comment by darkelemental1

on 2015-08-06T22:13:29-05:00

Forgive my bias opinion, but as someone who has always been a demonology warlock, I kind of feel like I've been slapped in the face.

I foresee many changes happening to Warlocks this expansion anyway, we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. That and I suppose you are still considered a rDPS while the DH is melee.

Comment by BeerWolf

on 2015-08-06T22:30:26-05:00

My main's on Horde, and I just don't like the Blood Elf's racials... sucks that it's only for Blood and Night Elves...

Comment by AshtonBabii

on 2015-08-06T22:45:04-05:00

My main's on Horde, and I just don't like the Blood Elf's racials... sucks that it's only for Blood and Night Elves...